Energy Conversion from one form to another causes an inherent loss, particularly due to the media within which conversion is effectuated. So for example the usable mechanical energy provided by a diesel engine (internal combustion motor) is approximately 34% efficient, electric motors are about 80% efficient, steam turbines are about 70% efficient, and gas turbines have only about a 27% efficiency.
The problem is even greater when several consecutive conversions are required, as for example, in actual pumping systems in which electrical energy is converted by an electric motor to mechanical energy which is in turn converted to kinetic energy by a rotative pump to move a liquid, with the corresponding losses in each step. And this does not even include the series of energy conversions and their losses required to produce electric energy by converting fossil energy to heat, heat to steam (enthalpy), steam to rotational mechanical energy (by a steam turbine), and mechanical energy to electric power (by a generator) which in turn is "transformed" and "transmitted" by "transformers". In all, nine energy conversions occur with expensive equipment, and there is a loss of some 70% of the initial fossil energy consumed in thermo electric power stations until the desired liquid pumping is realized, achieving only a poor 30% efficiency of said traditional systems.